Fire escape



Aug. 20, 1929.

F. E. STANLEY FIRE ESCAPE Filed April 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR W ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1929. F. E. STANLEY FIRE ESCAPE Filed April 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet F E. ,52561 n Z @JNVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES FRANK E. STANLEY, OF BOTHELL, WASHINGTON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Application filed April 11, 1928.

This invention relates to fire escapes and its general object is to provide a device that can be used on a building of any size for rescuing persons from any part thereof or for the purpose of repairing or painting the building, in an easy and expeditious man ner and with very little effort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fire escape that can be 'used on all buildings without change of construction thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel clamp for securing and support ing a hose on a buildin A still further object of the invention is to provide a fire escape device that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and eflicient in operation and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a building and showing the application of my fire escape and hose clamp thereto.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the basket which forms a part of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the basket with parts in full and dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the basket and showing its application to a window.

Figure 5 is a front view of one of the pulleys and its bracket for the basket.

Figure 6 is an end view thereof.

Figure 7 is a side view of the hose clamp.

Figure 8 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken through the wall of the building and showing my brake pulley in elevation and the cable housing in section.

Figure 10 is a perspective view illustra ingthe braking means'for one of the cables of mv invention.

Referringto the drawings in detail, the letter A indicates a building shown merely to illustrate the application of the fire escape and hose clamp, and the fire escape includes a pair of beams 1 each of which is adapted Serial No. 269,279.

to be secured in any appropriate manner to the roof of the building as shown in Figure 1. One of these beams has secured thereto a pair of pulleys 2 and 3 while the other beam has secured thereto a hook or the like 4.

Secured to the hook 4c is one end of a cable 5 which is trained through the pulley 2 and is of sufficient length to reach the ground under all conditions. Securedto the cable 5 intermediate its ends and trained through the pulley 3 is a cable 6 which has secured thereto a weight 7 for a purpose which will be presently apparent.

Carried by the cable 5 is a basket which is formed from a frame 8 having arranged therein and fixed thereto relatively heavy Wire mesh which provides with the frame the sides, ends and bottom of the, basket. The ends of the frame have included therein an upright strip 9 which extends above the top of the basket and is twisted to provide inclined arms 10 arranged in converging relation with respect to each other and at right angles to the strips, as best shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings. The upper ends of the arms are bent in U-shapeformation to provide brackets '11 having journaled therein the stub shafts of pulleys 12, and the free end of the U-shaped brackets have hingedly secured thereto a latch arm 13 proadded with a slot 14: for the purpose of receiving a turn-button 15 for securing the latch arms in operative position as best shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings.

The pulleys 12 receive the cable 5 for movement thereon and by providing the latch arms, it will be apparent that the cables can be easily and expeditiously arranged on the pulleys when desired. Bridging the top of the brackets 11 is a brace rod 16 which is secured to the brackets to prevent bending of the arms 10.

When it is desired to support the basket froma window of the building, I provide inverted substantially L-shape brackets 17 A I which have their long arms mounted for rotation in the basket whereby these brackets can be moved to their operative position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 or in their normal position as shown in full lines, and these brackets 17 are moved in unison through the medium of a link 18 which has its ends pivotally secured to studs 19 rising from. fingers 20 formed with the upper ends of the brackets as best shown in Figure 2.

The brackets are retained in their normal position by a hook 21 having one end pivotally secured to the frame of the basket while its opposite end is adapted to be received in an eye 22. A finger piece 23 is provided on the link 18 for the operation thereof for moving the brackets 17 in their respective positions.

Extending from the bottom of the basket and secured to the frame thereof is an eye 24 which has fixed thereto one of the ends of cables 25 and 26. The cables 25 and 26 are adapted for the purpose of moving the basket laterally from window to window while the cable 5 is used for the purpose of raising and lowering the basket, and of course the cables 25 and 26 may be used for guiding the basket during the time it is being raised and lowered. The weight 7 is for the purpose of counter-balancing the weight of the basket and its occupants.

The fire escape as above described can be associated with practically any size building within certain limits and can be adapted for buildings now constructed without changing or altering the construction of the building. In the construction of new buildings, provisions may be made to accommodate the basket which maybe housed in a closure arranged on-top of the building or any appropriate place as will be apparent.

In Figures 1, 7 and 8 I have disclosed a novel form of hose clamp for securing a hose with respect to a window as shown in Figure 1, and this clamp includes a substan- -tially U-shaped body 27 which has its ends terminating in eyes 28 for the purpose of re ceiving arms 29 pivotally secured in the eyes. The arms terminate at their free ends in apertured cars 30 for receiving a bolt and thumb nut connection 31 whereby the arms may be secured about a hose disposed in the body 27. Formed with the body adjacent one of the ends thereof is an inverted L- shaped bracket 32 adapted for the purpose of being received by a window sill and also formed with said body and disposed diametrically opposite the bracket 32 is a hook 33 for the purpose of fastening the hose clamp to the basket when raising the latter so that a hose can be easily carried by the basket and disposed in a window as shown.

I also provide a brake pulleyfor the cable 5, through which said cable is trained as shown in Figures 1 and 9, and this pulley includes a block 34 having an ear 35 formed therewith. A pin 36 is passed through the ear for pivotally securing the block to a bracket 37 which is fixed to the building. A bracket 38 of substantially U-shape formation is secured to the block and has formed therewith and rising therefrom an arm 39 having an inner curved face cooperating with the curved face of an arm 40 for receiving the cable as shown. The arm 4:0

is pivoted at its lower end to the bracket 38 and this pivotal connection includes studs 39 formed wit-h the opposite sides of the arm 40 mounted for slidable movement in opposed horizontally disposed slots 40 formed in said bracket 38 whereby the arm 40 is capable of moving toward and away from the arm 39. 7

The arm 40 is moved through the instrumentality of an eccentric 41 having a handle for operating the same and which is ournaled between the ends of a clamping collar 12 secured to the arm 39. By this construe tion, it will be apparent that upon moving the cable 5 which can be stored in the housing when not in use as shown in dotted lines in Figure 9.

The basket can be raised by any well known source of power having a drum for connecting the cable 5 thereto, and the counter-balancing member 7 'may be of sufficient weight to raise the basket with a person therein for the purpose of directing the movement of the basket from window to window and the like of a building.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in'the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A fire escape of the character described comprising a basket, a frame included in said basket, wire mesh secured to said frame and providing with said frame, the sides, bottom and ends'of "said basket, movable window engaging brackets carried by said basket, arms included in said frame, pulleys journaled in said arms, a cable trained in said pulleys and being adapted for raising and lowering said basket, guide cables for said basket, a counterbalancing weight for said basket, braking means for said first mentioned cable and a pivotally secured pulley for receiving said first mentioned cable and carrying said braking means.

2. A fire escape of the character described comprising a basket, a frame included in said basket, wire mesh secured to said frame and providing with said frame, the sides, ends and bottom of said basket, upright strips included in said frame, converging arms formed with said strips, U-shaped upper ends formed with said arms, pulleys journaled in said U-shaped upper ends, a cable trained through said pulleys for raising and lowering said basket, a counterbalancing weight for said basket and guide cables secured to the bottom of said basket.

8. A fire escape of the character described comprising a basket, converging arms formed with said basket and terminating at their upper ends in U-shaped formation, pulleys journaled in said upper ends, latch arms pr0- vided with slots and hingedly secured to the U-shaped upper ends, turn-buttons carried by said converging arms for securing the latch arms in operative position about the pulleys, a cable having one end fixed and being trained through said pulleys, while its opposite end is free to raise and lower said basket, guide cables for said basket, and means for detachably supporting said basket on a window sill and being carried thereby.

4. A fire escape of the character described comprising a basket, substantially L-shaped brackets mounted for movement and carried by said basket for detachably supporting said basket with respect to a window sill, means for moving said brackets in unison from a normal to an operative position, means for retaining said brackets in normal position pulleys carried by said basket, a cable trained about said pulleys, a counterbalancing weight for said basket secured to said cable, beams adapted to be secured to the roof of a building, pulleys secured to one of said beams and said cable being secured to the other of said beams and passing through one of said pulleys, a cable secured to the cable first mentioned and carrying the Weight and said last mentioned cable being trained through the other of said last mentioned pulleys.

5. A fire escape comprising a basket, a cable for supporting said basket and being adapted for raising and lowering the same, pulleys for said cable, and braking means receiving said cable and carried by one of said pulleys.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANK E. STANLEY. 

